Cheston Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Franklin County, Tennessee, built in 1950. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 38 ft38 ft tall and 262 ft long, taller than 84% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Cheston Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Cheston Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by The University of the South (private). It impounds the Trib-wiggins Creek near Cowan.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 262 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 92 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 10/18/2023.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Franklin |
| Nearest City | Cowan |
| River/Stream | Trib-wiggins Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.20944, -85.93167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Length | 262 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 92 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 92 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 64 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | The University of the South |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/18/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN05105 |
| Federal ID | TN05105 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |